


Just The Way You Are

by The_Leader_Of_The_Resistance



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Body Positivity, Cosplay, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Heartwarming, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23919469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Leader_Of_The_Resistance/pseuds/The_Leader_Of_The_Resistance
Summary: You don’t care what anyone else says. You love him, and that’s what matters.
Relationships: Yamada Hifumi/Reader
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	Just The Way You Are

**Author's Note:**

> I was so nervous to post this! This was out of my comfort zone. But here it is, a Hifumi story. I hope you guys like it!

##  ** Just The Way You Are **

You rode your bike as fast as your legs could muster, your backpack tucked in the basket with everything you needed. A duffel bag hung securely around you, keeping your cosplay costume safe. Hifumi Yamada had invited you to a convention months earlier, and you had been excited ever since. You took advantage of these months to save up plenty of money for this special three-day event. 

It had been ages since you first met Hifumi at a previous convention. You were spending time with your friends when you encountered his booth. A couple of creeps were making fun of him. They were acquaintances from Hope’s Peak Academy, people you weren’t fond of because of how they picked on others. Hifumi anticipated you to mock him about his Princess Piggles content after those bullies said hello to you. You politely greeted them before browsing through the items at Hifumi’s booth. Genuine interest shone in your eyes; you were a huge fan of _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess_ yourself, so you debated what to get.

Hifumi was used to people making fun of him for his interests and claimed they were idiots for it. But when you didn’t laugh at him alongside those jerks he had assumed were your friends, he was confused. Confused, but wary, as if waiting for you to join their teasing at any time. The guys didn’t stop with their cruel comments, much to your annoyance. They even tried to persuade you to leave the “fatass” and hang out with “cool guys” like them. The last thread of your patience snapped, and you flat-out snapped at them when they wouldn’t shut up. Hifumi had never seen anyone defend him in such a bold manner before, and your sudden outburst caused the guys to run away. A girl with a fiery temper when provoked. Hifumi was beyond impressed, and the two of you had become friends ever since.

Now here you were, ready to attend your second convention. You stepped right on the pedals, and your bike skidded to a halt just a short distance from the building. When you secured your bike’s chain and padlock at the bike parking rack, you saw Hifumi waving merrily from the entrance.

“Miss _______! Over here!”

He bounced as high as he could despite his weight, it looked endearing. You wondered if you could confess to him this time. Somehow. You had developed romantic feelings for Hifumi, but you feared he might treat them as some sick joke. Most girls never gave him a chance. A harsh reality for someone like Hifumi, but you were nothing like them. 

You waved back as you ran toward him, your backpack over your shoulder. “Hi! I made it.”

“The convention has commenced! Off to the hotel we go!” 

One trip to the hotel and quick change of clothes later, the two of you were in the convention. How convenient it was for a hotel to be standing right across the street.

Hifumi had chosen to cosplay as Robo Justice. With his incredible costume-making skills, he looked identical to the anime character himself. His eyes peeked from the head, the twinkle in his eyes capturing your attention. Even with his mouth hidden, you could still tell he was smiling with glee.

“We have arrived, my Princess!” He boasted in that dramatic tone of his.

You chuckled, clearly amused by his response. How could he not amuse you? What excited him in return was the fact that you were dressed as Princess Piggles. You were originally going to make the costume yourself, but Hifumi’s passion for the character and determination to have you wear the best costume ever wouldn’t allow it. You found his act of assistance both noble and cute. You wondered if he found you attractive, but shockingly he didn’t gawk at you. Did he notice you? Maybe not. But soon you would tell him what you wanted to tell him for so long. But how and when would you confess? What would you say?

You brushed those concerns aside for now. “So, Robo Justice, where should we go first??” 

“Let us examine our surroundings. Hmmmmm!” He scanned the place thoroughly, wondering what would catch his eye first. One turn to the right had him gasping with joy.

“I-Is that-…?!” 

“Is that wh-“ You squeaked when Hifumi took your hand and led the way.

A long line had formed in front of a booth. But it wasn’t just any booth; it was a booth dedicated to _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess_. The display showed Hifumi’s longtime fictional crush, Princess Piggles, with her trademark heart bow and arrow, looking surprisingly older. Much older, about in her mid-twenties if your calculations were correct.

“It’s her!” Hifumi couldn’t peel his gaze away from the display at the front of the line, his eyes glimmering with admiration while he skimmed through the sign next to Princess Piggles. “‘Get the first volume of _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess: War of Love_ before its release date!’ Miss _______, this convention has surpassed the others! Ahhhh, and she’s even more beautiful~!” Hifumi sighed dreamily while gazing at Princess Piggles again. “My one true love! She can press her assets against me anytime~.”

Your smile widened. “Control yourself, buddy.”

You loved how much of a fan he was of the character, along with her series. And Princess Piggles sure had the cleavage this time around. His passion was what attracted you the most, and it was thanks to him you were introduced to other anime, one that you loved just as much as Hifumi loved _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess_. Hifumi’s personality was what won you over, as it should, but you didn’t deny that you did find him physically attractive too. And you didn’t care if others had a problem with your tastes.

The two of you finally reached the booth, ready to obtain the first volume of the new _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess_ series. The young woman sitting by the booth glanced up with a smile, the beautiful author of the series.

Hifumi grinned. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Kanemaru!”

“It’s an honor to meet you,” you added, your excitement just as intense.

“It’s always a pleasure to meet my fans.”

Hifumi stifled a squeak and cleared his throat. “We’ll have copies of _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess: War of Love_ , if you please!”

Mrs. Kanemaru’s smile shrank until it faded. “Oh dear. I’m terribly sorry, but I don’t have any more copies.”

“Say whaaaaaat?!” 

You winced at what could be any fan’s version of bad news. You could hear Hifumi’s heart shatter when he didn’t see any more copies beside the table. 

“Ma’am, are you sure?” You asked, wanting to believe there were more somewhere. Not for your sake, but for Hifumi’s.

“Sadly, yes. I’m truly sorry, but there’s nothing you can do.” Mrs. Kanemaru gave a reassuring smile. “But you can get the first volume of _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess: War of Love_ in six months.”

“Six months…?” You heard Hifumi mutter, the words laced with disappointment.

“Yes,” the woman replied. “Time will fly by before you know it.”

You tried to ignore the aura of depression coming from Hifumi and nodded at the woman. “Alright! We’re looking forward to reading the sequel.”

You and Hifumi left the booth after taking a picture with the author and getting her autograph. Your sunny demeanor of the experience didn’t cancel out the cloud of sadness that formed above Hifumi. He pretended to be content with waiting for the manga’s release, but you weren’t a fool. This was going to be a painful wait for him.

It was heartbreaking to see the one you secretly loved sad. When night arrived, you changed out of your costume and peeked into his hotel room. He just relaxed on his bed working on his next fan-fiction project. His focus on it was so intense, he didn’t notice you step inside.

“Are you okay?”

Hifumi jolted out of concentration, but didn’t look up. “Hmmmm? Oh, it’s nothing, Miss _______.” He continued working, almost as if doing so would keep him distracted from how he truly felt.

“You sure…?” You could tell he didn’t seem as enthusiastic as this afternoon, regardless of him saying otherwise.

“Positive!” Hifumi glanced up at you with cute smile that drove your heart mad. “I am the Alpha and the Omega! Nothing can obliterate my joy!” There was a long pause. Neither of you spoke. Hifumi’s joy plummeted as he exhaled a gloomy breath. “I have grown exhausted after a lengthy day. Let us rest for tomorrow.”

You knew it was just an excuse to want to be alone, but you respected his wishes and bid him goodnight. Hours later, you impatiently spent the night wide awake. You tossed and turned, trying to fall asleep, but you gave up and decided to spend your wakeful minutes on your phone. 

What could you do to make Hifumi feel better? He really wanted a copy of _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess: War of Love_ , but his chances were dashed. If only there was something you could do for him. 

It wouldn’t be right to see him with a false smile tomorrow. You were certain he’d be fine later on, but when that day would come was unknown to you. You needed to find a way to fix this. But what? Then an idea flashed into your mind. It was a silly idea, but it just might work. No, you _had_ to make it work. For Hifumi.

* * *

You arrived to the convention earlier than Hifumi. Apparently he had overslept, and the reason behind it didn’t escape you. But it made your goal easier to pursue. Searching through the crowd of cosplayers, non-cosplayers, displays, and merchandise, you strongly hoped you could find someone with the manga Hifumi deserved to have. You had it all planned out. Find someone with the manga and try to make an offer. A desperate tactic, but pre-ordering it for Hifumi didn’t seem like a better alternative. You had to get the manga right away.

From a distance, you noticed a guy far away from you, sitting on a bench and reading a copy of _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess: War of Love_. He wore an intricately detailed suit of blue armor, its various shades of blue giving it life and style. You recognized the character he cosplayed as, your favorite character from your own favorite fantasy anime series. His prop leaned near him, a replica of the character’s magical sapphire sword with a large pale blue star on its hilt. 

You wanted to jump in the air. With confident strides, you approached the guy.

“Hi!”

The short guy with big glasses lifted his baffled eyes. “Hello.”

“Cool costume!”

“Oh, thank you! Great costume!”

“Thanks!” She took a seat opposite him. “So, you like “Star Knights” too??”

“Yeah!” The guy grinned. “It’s one of the most badass anime ever.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” You couldn’t help but glance at the manga longingly. “ _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess_ has a sequel.”

“Isn’t it great?” The guy shyly asked. “Just got my free copy yesterday. It’s a guilty pleasure.” He remained clueless of your feelings.

“…Listen, I know this is weird, but…”

“Hmmmm?”

 _Here goes nothing._ “I’d like to buy the manga from you.”

“Huh??? Why???” He asked, wide-eyed.

“It’s…complicated.”

The guy frowned, his eyes narrowing. “No way! You can wait until it comes out.”

“It’s not for me,” you clarified. “It’s for my friend.”

“Then tell your friend to wait.”

“I would, but-…” You cut yourself off with a deep breath. “Please consider. He’s been a huge fan since forever, and when he couldn’t get his own copy yesterday, it devastated him.”

The guy’s sour mood deepened. “He sounds like he needs to get a life.”

“Don’t talk about him like that!” You shot back instinctively, startling the guy. It would have been impossible to ignore his rude remark. The last thing you wanted was to have someone patronize Hifumi. 

“Geez, why do you care so much?”

“Because I…” 

Would you dare yourself to tell a complete stranger about your true feelings? You took a few seconds to cool off. This had to work in your favor. There wasn’t much of a choice, and you were determined to succeed.

“Because…I love him...” The guy didn’t respond. “Please, it would mean so much to him.” You gripped your duffel bag, knowing exactly what you needed to do. “I’ll make a trade with you. That’s fair, right? Whatever I have in my bag, it’s yours.”

* * *

Hifumi salivated over the big breakfast he ordered from room service and stabbed the pancakes with the knife until he heard a knock.

“Hmmmm? I don’t recall ordering dessert.” At least, not yet. Hifumi set his meal to the side and sauntered to the door. As it swung open, he saw you standing there with a sweet smile, holding a special gift. “Miss _______! Good morning.”

Hifumi eyed the manga you were holding. At first he didn’t react, but once he adjusted his glasses and realized a grown-up Princess Piggles was on the cover, he gasped happily.

“ _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess: War of Love_!” His face lit up at last, and he accepted the manga. Just looking at him smiling again left you overjoyed. “Where did you get it???”

“It’s not important, Hifumi.”

“Oh, but it is important.”

You paused, but then your smile softened. “Some guy traded it for something of mine.” Hifumi blinked. “I traded my autographed _Star Knights_ manga to get this.”

“What???” He was shaken by the confession. “But that was your most prized possession! You said you wouldn’t trade it for anything! Why would you sacrifice it for me?”

“Do you really want to know why?” You faced Hifumi with a serious expression. More serious than the times you defended him from anyone who dared to judge him. 

“Most certainly.”

Your next words were caught in your throat. No, you couldn’t back down. Not again. Now was the right time to tell Hifumi how you truly felt about him. Cupping his cute and chubby cheeks, you slowly leaned forward and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. Your heart was on the line as you braced yourself for rejection. But your worries melted away when Hifumi’s arms wrapped around you. You were pressed against his overweight, but soft body. On that sweet moment, the whole world ceased to exist, leaving you and Hifumi together without anyone staring with disdain. 

The kiss lasted longer than the two of you realized, so by the time you pulled away, you found yourself breathless.

“Wow,” you whispered, brushing some of your hair off your face.

Hifumi’s heart hammered against his chest. Just like you, he couldn’t think of what to say. “Miss _______, I never noticed you possessed such feelings for me. If I had known, I would have finally been free to express my insurmountable interest in you.”

“Really???” He was secretly in love with you too? This was big news to you. “But why didn’t you say anything?”

Hifumi hesitated. “You appear to be the type to have someone more…well, physically appealing. Miss _______…? May I inquire why you chose me…?”

Seeing him indirectly put himself down agitated you. “Why you…? How could you say that? I don’t want anyone else but you. I don’t care how you look, Hifumi. I never did. I’m not stupid like them.” You stroked his hair. “No matter what anyone says about you,” you gave him a peck on the cheek, “you’re attractive in my book.”

Hifumi lost the ability to speak. You loved him for who he was, no matter how he looked? Not once did he believe someone would say that to him, but here you were defying the odds by doing what other women he knew would never do. Get past his looks and treat him as a person. Those kind words meant everything to him, he shed a tear or two. You gently wiped them away with a thumb.

“I love you, Hifumi,” you murmured. “I love you just the way you are.”

“Thank you, Miss _______. I love you too.”

You nuzzled him, unwilling to pull away from his embrace. Time stood still, with neither of you moving for one second. 

“You know,” you said, breaking the hug, “maybe you could cosplay as a teddy bear next time.”

Hifumi burst into adorable giggles. “If I do, no one shall receive any hugs expect you.”

“Awwwwwww! I’m honored.”

“Shall we spend our morning reading Princess Piggles’ new adventure???” Hifumi hugged the manga, thrilled to have it in his possession. 

“Sure!”

You had spent your day with Hifumi, ordering room service while reading the first volume of _Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess: War of Love_. What would have been a quick read turned into a lengthy discussion of the manga, going off on tangents, reliving the previous series and making possible connections and theories between events. In your eyes, being with Hifumi and sharing his passion for a series you both loved was the most romantic day you’d ever had. Hifumi had the same thought as well. When all hope was lost in the love department, you came along and saved him from being alone. Princess Piggles would always be his biggest fictional crush, but he wouldn’t trade having a real-life partner like you for anything. Being with a 3D woman surprisingly pleased him just as much as a 2D woman would. He had never felt this way before until now. And he would always cherish being by your side.


End file.
